ASF tank lab block hopper instructions with detailed pics!!!

I have had a few requests recently for directions on how I make ASF lab block hoppers. The following pictures are a step by step guide to making a quality ASF lab block hopper for a tank out of one cut piece of 1/2" harware cloth. The pictures are self explanitory. if you count the squares you can make an exact replica.


Recomended Tools:
*Pliers (for pulling stainless steel zip ties, and to help with bending hardware cloth)
*Needle nose plyers (for bending stainless steel zip ties
*Tin Snips (look like giant scisors for cutting hardware cloth and stainless steel zip ties
*Wire cutters (for making precise cuts on hardware cloth when needed)



Total cost per hopper?

*about 50 cents in hardware cloth
*about $1.50 for (5) stainless steel zip ties (you can use plastic, but trust me, even if they are located behind the hopper, the ASF's will still eventually get to them, and chew them off!
*stabbing self several times with hardware cloth while cutting and bending!

TOTAL cost per Hopper: $2.00 and some really sore fingers and hands!

Enjoy!

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Stainless steel wire ties!!! My home depot just started carying them. They are a little pricely, and a pain to use, but the results are priceless!!!!!

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I like to put a top on it like this. Notice the stubs oppisite side to the hinges? I leave those on purpose beacause this makes it very easy to tuck those stubs in, making it impossible for the ASF's to get in from the top... But also very easy for me to reopen and fill. Again I used the Stainless Steel Zip Ties for the "hinges".

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I set the hight so that the bottom of the hopper is about an inch and a half off the substrate.

ASF's LOVE to dump out food from a bowl, play with the lab blocks, then make a bed out of the bowl. This creates a huge amount of wasted food. Once I started using hoppers my food costs dropped 75%!!!!! This sized hopper holds exactly 8oz, or 1/2 pound of Mazuri 6F Rodent feed.

Just a heads up if you are new to hoppers.... At first you will think that they can't get to it through the little holes... because they are eating so little. Then later you will be simply amazed because you will realize that its NOT that they can't reach the food, It is that they just don't eat very much, and they were wasting so much more then you realized!!!

Mike

Alright I'll trust you on this one..
But are you SURE they can get a good enough amount of food from this? My asf's don't really knock bowls over but they eat a ton of it.. :[

Yes, I am sure! :gj:

Been using them for months, and have had no issues. Trust me, they don't have any trouble at all getting a mouthfull of food with little to no effort... It just stops them from being able to "play catch" with the lab blocks!

I am not the only one that uses hoppers, that is for sure!! :cool:

When you decide to start selling these, I'll take 4.
Seriously!

I like to use a cutoff disk in an angle grinder to cut the hardware cloth..

Also its probably a good idea to wear gloves. The last attempt at a hopper left my hands looking like hamburger.

Good tutorial i think it needs a sticky.. Far better than the hopper i made lol..

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Originally Posted by Somed00d

Good tutorial i think it needs a sticky.. Far better than the hopper i made lol..

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Stickied here and also copied into our DIY forum. Nice job Mike! I'll definitely be making some of these as soon as I phone Home Depot and make sure they stock those metal zip ties. :)

I'm thinking I'll use these for the lab blocks and still offer a bowl of mixed seed and cat kibble every few days just as a suppliment to the lab block hopper feed. That way I get the best of both worlds and the ASF's can have a bit of variety in their diet. Should definitely save me some on my monthly feed costs for them.

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Originally Posted by Somed00d

I like to use a cutoff disk in an angle grinder to cut the hardware cloth..

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We do that too, makes it heck of a lot easier! Plus you can grind off the little left overs that would cut you.

All my rats and ASF's eat out of hoppers, they have no problems getting to the food. I know I made a thread at some point showing my way of making hoppers that did not involve any zipties. Wasn't stickied like Mike's :P

Good thread, I'd myself just make the hoppers bigger to hold more food. :gj:

I just bought the stainless steel zip ties from Home Depot. 10 for $4.19.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Good thread, I'd myself just make the hoppers bigger to hold more food. :gj:

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My origional hoppers were too big... these were made smaller on purpose. they hold exactly 1/2 pound of Mazuri 6F. Depending on a few variables, it will usually last more then a week with a 1.4 group.

In my opinion, any bigger and the food sits in the cage too long. :colbert:

Mike

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Originally Posted by mcavana

My origional hoppers were too big... these were made smaller on purpose. they hold exactly 1/2 pound of Mazuri 6F. Depending on a few variables, it will usually last more then a week with a 1.4 group.

In my opinion, any bigger and the food sits in the cage too long. :colbert:

Mike

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How long do you think is too long and why?

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

How long do you think is too long and why?

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This isn't based on any scientific info... or any studies or anything, it's just a personal preference. The longer the lab block is in the tank the more it appears to obsorb moisture, get darker, and ultimately loose its freshness. Take a fresh piece and break it in half. then take a piece that has been in the cage for 2 weeks and break it in half. There is definately a difference!

How long is too long? any longer then reasonably necessary.

Tell me, when you have to go into the cage to fill the water bottles every three or four days anyway, why would you want a hopper that holds more then a weeks worth of food?

Mike

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Originally Posted by mcavana

This isn't based on any scientific info... or any studies or anything, it's just a personal preference. The longer the lab block is in the tank the more it appears to obsorb moisture, get darker, and ultimately loose its freshness. Take a fresh piece and break it in half. then take a piece that has been in the cage for 2 weeks and break it in half. There is definately a difference!

How long is too long? any longer then reasonably necessary.

Tell me, when you have to go into the cage to fill the water bottles every three or four days anyway, why would you want a hopper that holds more then a weeks worth of food?

Mike

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My convenience and they seem to eat it fresh new bag, or been in the hopper for two weeks. Maybe I'm just a big meany that way... :P

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

My convenience and they seem to eat it fresh new bag, or been in the hopper for two weeks. Maybe I'm just a big meany that way... :P

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Thats why your ASF's don't wink at you like mine do seconds before getting fed off! :soapbx:

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Originally Posted by mcavana

Thats why your ASF's don't wink at you like mine do seconds before getting fed off! :soapbx:

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Mike, get a hold of yourself! Your evil maniacal laughter is interrupting my TV watching experience!

hey where did you find the wire at that cheap cost. I went to home dept and they have the 1/2 inch hardware cloth in a role of 2 feet by 5 feet but its like 10 bucks. Just curious where I have to look to find it for .50

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Originally Posted by njdevils783

hey where did you find the wire at that cheap cost. I went to home dept and they have the 1/2 inch hardware cloth in a role of 2 feet by 5 feet but its like 10 bucks. Just curious where I have to look to find it for .50

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cant do the exact math at the moment, but that roll you mentioned, 2'x5' for $10... you can make quite a few hoppers out of that one roll... I made 12 with the same roll and have leftovers.... .50 was a guess based on this.

Mike

ooooooooo my bad I thought you bought a sheet of the mesh for .50. lol i walked up and down every isle today looking for that sheet, wow do i feel dumb

I made a few of these and they work like a charm!.

Make sure you make a top to the hopper, or you'll find your ASF's all piled up inside the hopper...trust me, I speak from experience...lol

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Originally Posted by monk90222

I made a few of these and they work like a charm!.

Make sure you make a top to the hopper, or you'll find your ASF's all piled up inside the hopper...trust me, I speak from experience...lol

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LOL!!!! I should have mentioned this! I too figured this out the hard way! Got pics?

do you think 1/4" hardware cloth would work? It's all I have on hand and need to make another tub.

Nice DIY man im going to make some soon...

Great idea:gj:, but instead of using the metal zip ties that are expensive, try the J clips for rabbit cages. They are cheap and should do the same thing. I am going to try them.

I used plastic zip ties when i had rats and had no trouble but with the ASF's they took it as a challenge to remove as many zip ties as they could each week. I switched to J clips and have had no issues with them.

I make the same but I found a cheaper way ;). Instead of using the steel zip ties buy a small roll of 12 gauge or 16 gauge wire and just twist it off inside the hopper :)! Rolls are cheap and can do literally like a hundred hoppers!

I did it cheaper than that...

Just cut your wire so you have nice little sharp barbs on your edges...

use them to piece the hopper together by bending them over.

If you're using 10 gallon tanks, why not build your own screen top with the feed hopper and water bottle holder built right in?

I do that with my rat holding bins (90qt Sterilites) but the idea would certainly work with 10 gallon aquariums too!

Then you don't have to open the top to feed or water. You also get the added benefit of being able to use plastic water bottles again LOL.

Is there a way to make these for wire cages?

I use similar hoppers for my wire cages. I make mine 6 squares x 6 squares (1/2" mesh) x however long I want them. I have a 6 square x 6 square (3 inch) top and bottom. The bottom is attached at 4 sides, but the top is only attached to one side (for a hinge). I just fasten a piece of copper wire in and around the non hinged side and through the bars of the cage (and twist the ends together).

If you were asking about making a modified version for a wire cage top, I might be trying that soon :) .

Just make the hopper without the extra wire on top, and just leave hooks maybe? Although I would suggest making some sort of lid for it.

How do I make it so they don't stab themselves trying to eat?

If you mean from the sharp/cut wires, I grind those down with a Dremel. I run my finger over them to be sure that I got them smoothed out enough.

I don't have a Dremel :(

You could do the same thing with a metal file. They are pretty easy to find cheap. It would be a good idea to use safety glasses and work gloves just in case (although you probably know that as you know how sharp they can be). They definitely hurt :) .

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

You could do the same thing with a metal file. They are pretty easy to find cheap. It would be a good idea to use safety glasses and work gloves just in case (although you probably know that as you know how sharp they can be). They definitely hurt :) .

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Yes I stabbed myself a lot [emoji23] are you saying I need glasses in general or for the filing?

It hurts :/ . I meant for the filing :) . You never know where those little bits will fly. I've managed to get little bits of metal in my eye a long time ago, and it kills.

I always scrub the hoppers down really well before use btw (but I'm sure that goes without saying).

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

It hurts :/ . I meant for the filing :) . You never know where those little bits will fly. I've managed to get little bits of metal in my eye a long time ago, and it kills.

I always scrub the hoppers down really well before use btw (but I'm sure that goes without saying).

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Of course :) I'll be filing tomorrow and cleaning. I used plastic zip ties but I have the feeling I'll be replacing them soon. I'm using this design for all of my rodents :D

I used little metal "J Clips" to attach the sides/bottom/top, but there are many ways. The plastic zip ties should be fine. Even if the ASFs chew them, you should at least have a little warning with a quick inspection (and can then replace them before they pop open).

I use these for both my Norways and ASFs (in tanks, cages, and home made "tubs"). You will love how much food you save. I think the ASFs also like it as it gives them something else to do :) .

Okay so I got a dremel and it helped smooth out half of it and the suddenly the spinning slowed down and it makes a really high pitched squealing sound. Any idea what that is?

I think that's what happens when the motor "brushes" get worn out. Did you run it for a long time without letting it cool down? It says somewhere in the instructions how long you should run it before letting it cool down. The same thing happened to me :/ . You can get replacements at the same store you bought it at, or you can get them on Amazon for really cheap (if it isn't a brand name Dremel, there should be some equivelent). If you know the model of your Dremel, I can find them for you, or there should be a parts list in the manual that list them. There should be two round parts on the sides of the Dremel that have a flat head slot in them. If you unscrew them, there will be a spring thing with a little carbon "brush" at the end of it. I think the replacements include the spring, so you just pop the worn one out and the new one in. They should have a little note stuck to it before you can use it so you know :/ .

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Originally Posted by SCWood

Okay so I got a dremel and it helped smooth out half of it and the suddenly the spinning slowed down and it makes a really high pitched squealing sound. Any idea what that is?

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

I think that's what happens when the motor "brushes" get worn out. Did you run it for a long time without letting it cool down? It says somewhere in the instructions how long you should run it before letting it cool down. The same thing happened to me :/ . You can get replacements at the same store you bought it at, or you can get them on Amazon for really cheap (if it isn't a brand name Dremel, there should be some equivelent). If you know the model of your Dremel, I can find them for you, or there should be a parts list in the manual that list them. There should be two round parts on the sides of the Dremel that have a flat head slot in them. If you unscrew them, there will be a spring thing with a little carbon "brush" at the end of it. I think the replacements include the spring, so you just pop the worn one out and the new one in. They should have a little note stuck to it before you can use it so you know :/ .

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It didn't say at all :( it's a drill master

Hmmm... I'd just take it back to the store and tell them what happened. It should have said, so that's not your fault. That may not even be what happened (although I'd guess it is).

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

Hmmm... I'd just take it back to the store and tell them what happened. It should have said, so that's not your fault. That may not even be what happened (although I'd guess it is).

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I did :) with the new one, I stop once it starts getting hot. I finished my hopper!

Nice :) .

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ASF cage

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Rat cage :)

Looks great! Watch the plastic in the ASF cage though. I thought things were great in the one I had... until I discovered that a bunch had gotten out :/ . I have all of my ASFs in tanks with wire tops now. I'm PRETTY sure I got them all... I think that I did.... I hope that I did :) .

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

Looks great! Watch the plastic in the ASF cage though. I thought things were great in the one I had... until I discovered that a bunch had gotten out :/ . I have all of my ASFs in tanks with wire tops now. I'm PRETTY sure I got them all... I think that I did.... I hope that I did :) .

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OMG LOL I only have 2 but I will definitely keep tabs! I made a mini hopper for my mice :)

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Looks great! It looks like you got them all nice and smooth. Did the second rotary tool end up being okay for all of them? What kind of bit did you use?

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Originally Posted by SCWood

OMG LOL I only have 2 but I will definitely keep tabs! I made a mini hopper for my mice :)

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

Looks great! It looks like you got them all nice and smooth. Did the second rotary tool end up being okay for all of them? What kind of bit did you use?

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I used the really think blades :) they saw everything right off and last longer

Nice. The little "stone" grinder ones work pretty good too (lots of sparks though) :) .

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Originally Posted by SCWood

I used the really think blades :) they saw everything right off and last longer

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Originally Posted by Creepy Alien

Nice. The little "stone" grinder ones work pretty good too (lots of sparks though) :) .

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I destroyed 3 on just one hopper 😂😂😂